Red
by Dark Hez
Summary: Bonnie's changed..but not for the better. Will her life time friend's give up on her or fight to save the old Bonnie?
1. Chapter 1

**Here's my next story, I know I haven't finished my other one yet but this story line kept creeping its way into my head so here it is. **

**As always characters belong to lj smith, story belongs to me. As always enjoy **

Life was never a straight road, more often than not a twist or a bend or if you were really unfortunate a sharp turn would take you from your original course and before you know where you are or which direction you originally came from your lost.

Nobody knew this better than Damon; having over five hundred years of experience on his shoulders. Damon absently reached down and stroked the red fur that was covering his legs, smiling at just how over the years he had gained said experience. Fur brushed against his hand in reaction to his touch. Looking down he watched the wolf yawn revealing hugh sharp white teeth before placing her head back down on his lap leaving him to his thoughts once more.

It had taken Damon a while to recover from the last sharp turn in his road; his death. Well second death but still. By the time Sage had found him he was skin and bone; insane with hunger. Sage had told him that he had been gone for months; plus a few a few more months for recovery, it was just over a year by the time he had surprised his little brother. By then all his memory's had returned to him, but what hadn't returned with him was his hatred towards his brother. He must have left it behind buried beneath the ash on the Nether World. Instead he found protectiveness for his brother in its place. Strange how death had taught him this lesson, but he silently swore to himself as he embraced Stefan in a brotherly hug- much to Stefan's shock- that he would no longer punish him just for being his brother but to show him what a brother is. Damon never broke his word even to himself.

Perhaps it was an epiphany. Damon had heard of them but never imagined he would ever be the one to receive one.

Damon stared into the stone built fire watching the flames dance. He was still Damon; that much he knew for sure. He still killed if the mood served him and he was impulsive as ever. He had however stayed with his brother for a while in Fells Church before moving back home to Italy. While staying with Stefan he found that his new found respect for his little brother had erased any feelings he had once felt for Elena.

Each time he looked at her he no longer wanted to touch her the way he used to or kiss her. After everything they had been through and done to each other he still couldn't believe that not even a tiny twinkle existed between them, but he had found he was glad for it. Elena also gave up trying to re-ignite something that wasn't any longer there, telling him through tears that at least she no longer had to choose.

The clock struck ten bringing Damon back to the present once again. Giving the wolf a soft pat she jumped off of him and stretched giving him the room to do the same. As one they moved through the massive mansion towards the maid. The house was the original Salvatore house from when he and Stefan where young. Through the years Damon had added rooms, replaced old walls and bought more land. He liked space. This was the first time he had however stayed here longer than a few months.

"Poppy there you are. Are the rooms ready?" Damon ignored the maid's sudden stiffness at his presence.

"Yes Sir and the larder has been filled for your guests" Damon stood staring for a few seconds longer until she started getting more nervous. Damon made a mental note to make sure he emptied the larder before the food went bad.

"Good, you may leave" He watched her scurry away before slowly following back towards the main door. "I believe Red our guests have arrived" The wolf stopped in front of the door and sat back.

Damon opened the door and watched the two cars glide to a halt. From the first car emerged Stefan and Elena. Stefan had turned Elena a few years ago just before they got married. It was either that or watch Elena grow old and die, which is how Stefan had wanted Elena to live. With a little help from Damon, Elena had finally won telling Stefan that all the past fighting for each other would have been pointless.

From the second car emerged a flush looking Meredith and Sage- who was actually wearing a shirt; probably the doing of Meredith. It was at Stefan and Elena's wedding that Meredith's believe that Alaric had been cheating on her was confirmed. He had been denying it all the way but when Cecily turned up at the reception with a small bump he had no choice but to finally confess and left, but not before Meredith had got in with a good right hook knocking him- as scientists would call it- on his coccyx. It was then that she decided to stop fighting her growing feelings for Sage.

Damon had had a laugh at the irony of their relationship. The vampire hunter in love with the vampire. Meredith had been against turning into a vampire herself until she had a bad run with a vampire on one of her hunts. Sage had had no choice but to turn her or he would have lost her. Now she was a vampire who hunted vampires, sometimes with help from Sage if he wasn't called away. It left Damon wondering if anybody from their little group of humans was in fact still human.

"What no Mutt?"

"No he stayed back home with his Wife and daughter. To be honest I think he wants to leave us and that life in the past. It's good to see you Damon"

"And you as always Elena"

"Ahh mon petit tyrant, how is the Italian sun treating you?"

"Very well old friend, there are plenty of maidens in the local town to keep me entertained" A snap took everyone's attention from Damon to behind him. "Oh don't mind Red, she gets jealous when I speak of maidens" In answer the wolf snapped her jaw at him once again while taking a step back.

"Red?"

"Yes brother, her name is Red" Damon led them to the room he had exited earlier and took his seat. Stefan sat on the seat opposite him with Elena on the arm. Meredith took the seat next to Stefan while Sage stood behind her eyeing the wolf.

"Erm Damon, why do you have a wolf?" Damon looked at Red who was eyeing Sage back in return warily.

"She's been here with me for the past few years. She turned up on the grounds weak and injured. I was going to just put her out of her misery but thought I'd help her instead."

Meredith looked from the wolf back to Damon "That doesn't answer my question Damon, why is she still here?"

Damon just shrugged before answering "She didn't want to leave"

"Or you didn't want her to leave?" Stefan eyed his brother. Why on earth would he keep a wolf around?

"Brother I may have taken to stop torturing you as a hobby but I can still hit you for cheek. I am after all the oldest" Nobody paid Damon and his threat to Stefan any attention knowing full well it was an empty threat. Damon hadn't laid a finger on Stefan since he returned.

"Well I can see why you named her Red" Elena couldn't stop admiring the epic shades of red on the wolf. From her paws being scarlet red to a deep dull full bodied red with blood red markings she was no doubt a beautiful wolf.

"She wouldn't answer to any other name. She would ignore me until I called her Red" Even though he was scolding her stubbiness Damon reached down and tickled Red behind her pointed ears. With a long look at Damon, Red slowly walked towards Meredith stopping no more than a foot away. Slowly Red tilted her head to the side making a small whining sound. Meredith couldn't help notice the wolfs deep chocolate eyes. How odd that a wolf as red as Red should have dark brown eyes. Surely black would have been more fitting?

When Meredith didn't respond to Red, she leant forward tapping her nose against Meredith's leg before tilting her head once again in question.

"What does she want?" Meredith looked across at Damon looking somewhat smug "What?"

"She wants to know if you want to go hunting"

"Wait...what? She knows what we are?"

"Of course; we hunt together all the time. Different prey of course; she hunts animals while I hunt...well you know" He didn't want to say maidens again knowing that Red would snap at him again. Turning towards Stefan and Elena, Damon smirked, "Speaking of which, no feeding from my wolf. There are plenty of animals in the woods around us"

"Fang and Talon would have loved to have met you, you seem as intelligent as they are" Sage had walked in front of Meredith's chair bent to talk to Red.

"Mrs Flowers was happy for their company, she hasn't seen them for a while" Meredith reminded Sage. She knew he missed his companions already. The idea of Damon having a wolf around seemed less strange as she remembered the bond between Sage, Talon and Fang; and now her.

"I am afraid little one that we do not hunt the animal ferity, we prefer Damon's menu more" Sage was still talking to the wolf trying to be careful with his words as she seemed to understand what he was saying. In reply the wolf sung her head low in disappointment.

"But me and Stefan can go hunting with you if you like?" Elena stood to show Red that she was ready to go. Red ran towards Elena and jumped around her feet before releasing a howl.

"I take that as a yes" Stefan stood next to Elena. "We'll meet you back here when we are done" Stefan followed Elena but had to turn back as Red came running back in gave Damon a nudge and a lick on his hand before running back out to catch up with Elena. Shaking his head with laughter Stefan followed.

"I didn't take you for the human type" Damon couldn't help but take a dig at Meredith's diet. She had only taken to hunting vampires who had gone rogue and killed after knowing that some vampires don't always kill and now being one herself she had no choice but to change her perspective on the whole situation.

"Shut up Damon"

It was past midnight before they all made it back to the house. Stefan had gone wandering the rooms amazed that it was the same house he grew up in. Damon had changed so much that no part of his child hood past remained, making it so much easier to be here without memories being stirred.

Damon showed them which rooms where theirs then went to sit and wait for them to join back with him which he knew they would. Red was sprawled out at his feet clearly stuffed and satisfied with whatever animal she had consumed. He couldn't help but watch the wolf sleep, her paw twitching every now and then. He still didn't know why he had helped her but watching her sleep he couldn't say that he was sorry that he did. She stayed by his side most of the time but he found he enjoyed her presence. He also found that he liked to watch her hunt and he would never admit it aloud but he liked it when she would sometimes sneak a cuddle thinking he was asleep and end up falling to sleep on his chest.

Damon spoke to Stefan before he sat down "So brother, how is married life treating you. Elena treating you well I hope and full filling your needs like a good wife!" He may have sworn not to make his life hell but that didn't mean that he couldn't have a dig every now and then.

"Life's good. Elena decided to leave college for a few years. After all she has earned a break after all she has been through for us" Stefan ignored his little gip.

"Does she not have eternity to rest?"

"If we have learned anything from the past it's that tomorrow may never come, you brother should know that lesson" Stefan watched his brother frown falling into his own comment. Silence was Stefan's reply. After a few minutes of silence Elena came down and crawled onto Stefan's lap followed by Sage and Meredith occupying the other chair.

Damon looked around the group. They had come to join him for a holiday and a small reunion. What with Meredith and Sage away a lot and Stefan taking Elena travelling they hadn't seen much of each other over the last few years. He was glad Mutt had decided to stay away, even after all these years he still couldn't stand to be in his presence but he was a little let down his little red bird hadn't been able to make it.

"Still no word from our travelling Red Bird?" Damon watched as the faces became sad and sober.

"She should be here either tomorrow or the next" Elena glanced at Meredith who was nodding with confirmation. "Bonnie's changed Damon"

"If you're still upset at how she turned up dressed for your wedding, don't be. She's just experimenting" Damon remembered how she was dressed or half dressed. She had worn a black silk skirt that barely covered her ass cheeks, with a deep v shirt and five inch shoes. To say that Elena and Meredith were appalled had been an understatement.

"She's got worse Damon, she doesn't return any calls and we barely hear from her. When we do she's always too busy to talk." Damon looked from Elena and Meredith and could practically see them planning together. He was almost too afraid to ask.

"Why invite her here then if you don't like her anymore?" The look on the two faces screamed Busted.

"Well we figured that maybe as a group we could give it one last shot at getting our old Bonnie back" Damon looked from Sage then to Stefan. They had both been roped into this plan and were clearly not looking forward to it.

"This is going to end badly you know that right. If Bonnie has chosen to be whatever it is she is being; she may not want you two interfering." Maybe this little visit wasn't going to be as bad as he first thought and some entertainment was going to come out of it after all. All though he was a little curious himself to see Bonnie's new personality; silently hoping there was still a lot of the old Bonnie mixed in there.

**Hope u like,**

**As always both good and bad reviews welcome **


	2. Chapter 2

**First of all so sooooo sorry. I didn't mean to leave you all hanging the way I did, I broke my finger so was unable to write or type. Thank you for being patient with me. **

**Second...WOW for the response. Thank you all for your reviews and comments. Big Hug and kisses to you all. In answer to all your queries ... you will have to wait and see lol **

**To ****daydreamer4life2011****...Thank you for your honesty, your comment wasn't taken the wrong way at all and I will try to work on it in future. I hope that you continue to be honest, and continue to call me out again if I slip up. Much Love **

**Hope u enjoy ... **

The following day Damon found himself agreeing with Elena and Meredith more and more as the day progressed. He did not like this new Bonnie.

She turned up early the following morning in the back of a taxi with only a rug sack and small suitcase as luggage. The taxi had stayed parked outside for half an hour before the driver came up to the house demanding payment. Damon had reluctantly paid after Bonnie told him she didn't carry cash. After that Red had come down the stairs growling with her heckles up at Bonnie. The wolf didn't seem to faze the red head one bit, if anything she seemed to find it amusing.

When Elena and Meredith had tried to ask her what she had been up to over the years; she had simply replied that it would not be nice to tell the two women trapped in relationships the goings on of a single girl.

Stefan had suggested that they take the horses riding around the grounds as a way of distraction and to help break the tension. Bonnie had spent the entire time passing comment's across to Stefan and eyeing him up like he was a piece of candy she wanted to spend the day licking. If it hadn't been for Meredith grabbing hold of Elena and privately telling her not to react, Damon was sure she would have pounced on the small red head.

It wasn't until they got back into the house that Meredith and Elena switched roles. Bonnie had accidently – but quite clearly on purpose – spilt wine on the back of Sage's shirt; then went to make a move to help him remove it. It took both Stefan and Sage to drag the fuming hunter upstairs. Bonnie's only reaction was to walk out the kitchen winking at Damon as she passed. Usually it was Damon that managed to get those kinds of reactions out of people. She was good but she was no Damon Salvatore and quite frankly it pissed him off.

Damon looked at the clock on the wall in passing. Six! There were still another six hours left of the day. He began wondering which of them was going to kill the red head first in that time. Walking into the main living area he found Red pacing in front of the fire. He knew Red didn't like Bonnie either. Three times he had had to hold her back from attacking when Bonnie had upset one of them. They had all tried to get a read on Bonnie's aura all day or try and break into her mind without her noticing but she had barriers thicker than steel.

"Please tell me you have something stronger to drink than wine in your cupboards!" Meredith storming into the room brought Damon out of his thoughts.

"What did the little...witch do now?" He strolled over and opened a secret hole in the wall.

"She only accidently strolled across the landing naked" Meredith looked up as he passed her a glass of bourbon. "Where you going to say something that rhymed with witch?"

Before he could answer Elena entered the room closely followed by Sage and Stefan. "Well if he wasn't I will; can I get one of those?" Damon raised his eyebrows indicating the hole for them to help themselves.

"This was your idea" Damon went to Red with his own glass of Bourbon while gently stroking the top of the wolf's head in attempt to calm her down.

"Yes well, right now as far as my ideas go, this one isn't going so well." Elena humped down on the sofa.

"Love, if Bonnie wants to live the way she is then you have to accept it. You can't go around changing people because you don't like who they are turning into"

"Stefan, this isn't about me changing people. Ordinary, normal people can go screw as far as I'm concerned." Elena retorted back towards Stefan who had taken safety next to Damon.

"I have to agree with Elena, this is Bonnie. Sweet small care free Bonnie who would cry if you switched the lights out before she was safely tucked up inside her duvet. That thing upstairs will only cry if nobody is sharing her bed with her" Meredith stood up to help herself to another glass of bourbon but was beat by Sage bringing her the bottle. With a smile he began refilling her glass.

"So what do you want us do to, tie her up and torture her until she becomes sweet little Bonnie again?" Damon raised his eyebrows as both women screamed back at him at the same time; yes. Looking down at Red he couldn't help but shack his head. "Stop sniggering Red." Red merely looked up at him before trotting across to Elena and Meredith and planted herself in-between them.

Stefan looked from Damon beside him to women across from him. "We are not tying anybody up. We will..."

"Who's tying who up? I have plenty of rope if you need it!" Bonnie leaned against the frame of the door.

"Of course you do" Damon commented before taking a drink from his glass. Heckles up; Red slowly made her way back to Damon never taking her eyes from Bonnie.

The room stayed silent as Bonnie made no attempt to join the group in the room. Bonnie just stood taking them all in one by one while her facial expression never changed. "Well I'll leave you all to go back to whatever it is you were doing. I may be leaving tomorrow, failing that the following day. Night Night!" Turning around she took two steps before turning back to Damon "Unless of course I find a reason to stay longer" But before she could finish the wink she started Red pounced.

Jumping on top of the sofa she pounced towards Bonnie. Her heckles now on full alert ran from the top of her head down the full length of her back. Bonnie ran laughing up the stairs with Red closely catching up behind her. Damon threw his glass towards his brother before taking off after Red. Cursing as he followed the sounds of laughter from Bonnie and snarling from Red he just managed to tackle the wolf down to the floor before she ran head first into the door that Bonnie had just managed to close.

Red was fighting him, but he wrapped his arms around her and held on until she gave up. He still didn't get up, he laid there with her until her panting had subsided and she breathed a normal rhythm again. "Don't worry Red; I'll let you chase her from this house before tomorrow if she upsets you anymore." Damon whispered to her before getting up and without a backward glance to the door made his way back down stairs to the others with Red by his side.

"Did she kill her?" Meredith asked before he even walked back into the room.

"No but I'm getting tired of trying to stop her. Jealous she may get sometimes, but on those occasions I find it harmless and cute" He smirked towards his brother before he could say anything and took his glass back before continuing looking down at Red "But for her to try and attack Bonnie four times in one day; something's not right with her."

"With the wolf or Bonnie?" Sage walked up to Red and tickled under her snout looking into her eyes before continuing. "She is your companion. If Saber or Talon took an instant disliking to somebody the way that Red has to Bonnie, never would I question their judgement. Animals after all have the ability to sense things even we sometimes can't, and wolves are even bigger hunters than we are. Trust in your companion my friend" Red looked at Sage with soft brown eyes; looking nothing like they did minutes ago filled with hate; and licked his face with a big sloppy kiss before howling at the ceiling.

After much more pointless debating the group got nowhere in how they were going to deal with Bonnie. They finally decided to call it a night after agreeing that the best course of action was to wait till tomorrow. Things always looked better after a nights rest. Damon lay on his bed with a curled up Red by his side. He thought that it would be best to keep her near him. As he thought of the day's events he couldn't help but realise that every time Red had gotten upset at Bonnie, it was in defence to her ways with everybody. When she had upset Elena and Meredith, even her attempts at seducing Stefan and Sage had gotten the wolves heckles going.

Then Sage's words came back to him "_trust in your companion my friend_". Damon's eyebrows knitted in thought. How was he supposed to trust in her? Was she trying to tell him something? Not seeing sleep come anytime soon he sat up looking back at Red as she lifted her head to him. "You stay here, I'm going to check up on something" Slowly making his way from his room he made his way towards Bonnie's door. Standing by the door he listened in to make sure she was asleep. The gentle rhythm of her heart and breathing told him she was.

Gently easing the door open he made his way across the room to the bed. Looking down at the red head in her sleep she looked like the innocent girl her friends were so desperately trying to get back. Without the cocky looks, or seducing sneers she looked like his little redbird. Stopping himself from stroking her red curls he turned away. But not before the moon light made something catch his eye. Turning back he focused; turning his head so he could try and catch the moons light again. When he finally did he froze.

What was he to do? If he attacked her now he couldn't trust himself not to kill the thing before he got answers! _Sage, wake up! Sage! SAGE!_

_I'm not asleep. This had better be important_

Damon cringed at what he must have just interrupted. _Get your naked ass dressed and get into Bonnie's room. We have a problem. _In less than thirty seconds Sage was stood next to Damon not looking very happy. Putting a finger to his lips then pointed towards Bonnie, Damon showed Sage what he had seen. Sage smirked as though all of his questions had been answered.

Before long Bonnie's bed was surrounded by Damon, Sage, Stefan, and Meredith. Bonnie stayed asleep oblivious to what was going on around her. Damon turned to the others whispering barely above sound. "So are we all in agreement that none of us are imagining what we are seeing?" He was beginning to lose patience. Sage had insisted on getting Meredith to have a look in case she didn't believe them, then Meredith wanted Elena to see but Stefan had come in her place. Finally Elena strolled into the room after Stefan had insisted she come. 

"Yes, so what are we going to do now?" Elena asked still whispering. Before anyone could answer Bonnie woke up with squeal and dived out of the window above her bed before anybody could manage to make a successful grab; instead grabbing onto each other.

"Well in answer to your question, I believe capture is now on the cards!" Damon answered in his most sarcastic tone as he watched the redhead disappear behind the tree line.

...

**I'm sorry if the chapter is slightly short but I wanted to get it up for you. **

**As always all reviews are welcome, both good and bad; Big hugs & kisses for you **

**The new chapter for Here We Go Again will hopefully be up before the end of the week, I know that you have had a long wait already so I will try my best. **


	3. Chapter 3

**Hey guys; Here's the next instalment for you. Thanks for reviews and alerts so far, Big hugs and kisses to you all. This chapter is slightly small but the next will be longer I promise. Hopefully you will enjoy it. It may also be slightly confusing, but all will be explained. **

**Errors all mine**

**Also in case you haven't caught it my last chapter for Here We Go Again got put up last week. For those of you that have and msg, alerted and favoured it HUGE Hugs & Teddy Bear Kisses to u. **

**As always enjoy **

Hours, not minutes but hours they had been out here looking for Bonnie and Damon was on his last nerve. They had sped into the woods after Bonnie, splitting into three pairs; Meredith and Sage took to the right with Stefan and Elena taking to the left, leaving the middle for Damon and Red. After a dozen or so miss trails Damon was more than convinced that Bonnie had disappeared somehow with some witchy ju ju trick she knows. It was the only explanation he could thing acceptable to her being able to slip away from them.

Damon and Red met the others at the woods edge finally ready to call it a night – or day if one was to get technical with the rising sun. Neither spoke as they began making their way back towards the house. It took a moment for Damon to realise that Red had fallen out of step with him. Looking back he stopped which in turn caused the others to follow suit. He watched as her snout reached up into the air before coming back down again, then swing to the left and right.

"What is she doing?" Elena asked unsure what to make of Red's behaviour.

"Shhh she's hunting" Damon slipped into a crouch. He knew this pattern well having been on plenty of hunts together in the past. Body as tense as rock, eyes closed with ears twitching to all sounds around her while latching on and trying to determine which direction the scent that she was looking for was coming from. What Damon was waiting for was the slight twitch on her rear leg that she did signalling that she was about to bolt.

Before he could tell the others to get ready, Red bolted to the right and took off. Cursing Damon took off after her leaving the others to follow him. He kept his usual distance away from her but enough to be able to catch up fast enough should any problems arise. He couldn't help the small smirk of pride that grew on his lips when she dipped her head and began picking up speed; she had found her prey and was closing in.

As they approached the huge river that boarded his land, Damon could see a boat with someone trying to row but clearly had never been taught the correct method as they weren't getting very far. It was then Damon noticed it was Bonnie. Picking up his own speed to catch up with Red he had underestimated the speed she had picked up in order to get to Bonnie. Still a good distance away he watched in horror as Red made a leap from the river's edge.

Time slowed for him as Red opened her mouth with a growl before latching onto Bonnie's arm and plunging them both over the side of the boat and into the river. Reaching the river; Damon dived in as far he could before swimming to the capsized boat. Unsure with what to do Meredith, Sage, Elena and Stefan stopped at the water's edge, watching and waiting for either Bonnie or Red to re-service above the water.

Once he reached the boat Damon dove under the water in search of Red. Bonnie could go screw in hell and drowned for all he cared but if anything happened to Red he would personally bring Bonnie back to life just so he could kill her again himself. Diving deeper through the clear water he couldn't see either off them, spinning round trying to see as far as he could he swam back up to the service hoping they had already made it back to the others.

"Have you found them?" He heard Elena shout. Growling in reply he dove back down again, this time catching a glimpse of red further down the river below him. As he approached he could make out Red and Bonnie in a scuffle. Red still held Bonnie tight by the arm; while Bonnie was trying to hit Red to release her. Red was pulling even harder on Bonnie taking them both deeper into the river. Damon reached grapping onto Bonnie's free arm and began pulling them both behind him as he made his way back to the others.

Feeling land beneath him Damon stood up tossing Bonnie to the feet of the others; Sage and Meredith quickly pulled Bonnie up ignoring her whimpers and lose of breath.

"Take her and tie her up in the cellar where she can't do anymore damage" Damon knew his tone was out of line towards them but at this moment he didn't care. He watched them walk away before turning on Elena and Stefan who had taken it upon themselves to help a tired and out of breath Red out of the river.

"Take Elena back to the house Brother, we shall meet later and deal with Bonnie"

Nodding in acknowledgement, Stefan knew a dismissal when he heard one. Taking hold of Elena's hand he pulled her back towards the house.

##################

_Red slowly made her way to Damon and gently tapped his hand with her nose. Usually he would automatically stroke her head, but not this time. She watched as he whisked his hand out of her reach before glaring down at her with cold eyes. She instinctively took a step back._

_Red couldn't remember a time when Damon had looked so cold, distant or terrifying towards her; to others on occasion but not to her. He began walking away from her without waiting to see if she was following; head low she began to follow with a limp, an injury she acquired when her leg jarred against something in the water. _

_By the time she made it home a good distance behind Damon she was almost dry. Shacking off the excess water she walked through the open door but was greeted by no one. Damon never went up the stairs without her, so she began her rounds downstairs trying to find him. She could hear Bonnie in the cellar shouting but she was alone. After looking in all the rooms, she slowly climbed the stairs her aching body trying to resist. Passing Meredith and Sage's room quietly as she heard Sage snore, she could hear whispers coming from Stefan and Elena's room behind the closed door but couldn't make out what they were saying. _

_Finally she came across the room she knew so well only to find the door closed. Sitting down Red waited for Damon to open the door patiently. He never closed his door, he would always leave it open for her so she could go into him and sneak onto his bed. After a time she curled in a ball on the same spot outside the door, falling asleep confused, upset and hurt._

Damon woke the following evening and took flight out of his bedroom window to go feed in the town. He also knew Red was still outside his door and he was still pissed at her. The problem was he didn't know why. She was a wolf; she did what her kind does. She hunted, tracked and went in for the kill. Hell not only her kind; his kind too. He had been proud of the way she hunted yesterday but that moment of pride was quickly replaced by fear. Fear of losing his friend, companion and partner. God he had turned into a creature loving pussy like Sage. Clearing his thoughts he went to find dinner.

Returning home he headed straight for the cellar still avoiding Red. If he was being honest with himself he hated the way he had treated her yesterday but wasn't quite ready to admit that to the wolf just yet. Pushing the door open he was hoping Bonnie wasn't going to tell him anything too easily because he wanted to torture the bitch and help man himself back up a little bit. Stopping dead he came across Sage, Stefan, Meredith and Elena all seated along the opposite wall on chairs as though waiting for class to start.

"What the hell are all of you doing down here?" He asked looking at each of them.

"She's our friend Damon. We wanted to make sure you didn't do anything too rational; like I don't know kill her before she tells us anything" Meredith answered standing up making her way to Bonnie who was still tied to the chair where Meredith and Sage had put her the night before.

Damon merely raised his shoulder "Fair enough" He approached Bonnie with the others surrounding her in a semi-circle. "So Bonnie, let's get the lesson under way; care to share with the class why you decided to gift yourself with a pair of horns?"

Bonnie sat eyeing them in turn, looking neither afraid nor interested; if anything amused. "I have no idea what you are talking about"

"Oh really, then what the hell are these?" Elena reached forward and took hold of where the invisible horns where on top of Bonnie's head, resulting in making Bonnie scream.

"Ok ok they are horns, let them go" Elena did and as she did the horns appeared. "They are delicate you know"

"Why do you have horns?" Damon wanted to rip them off as she turned towards him.

"Why do you have such a tight ass?" Meredith slapped her across the face which even Damon nearly winced at. _Note to self, don't get slapped by Meredith_.

"Answer the damn question" Meredith had wanted to do that since Bonnie laid a finger on Sage's shirt with all intentions of removing it.

"I tell no lies, I only play tricks. I like to play and hide but only you can go seek. That for which you have lost I have hidden but no clues shall I give; what am I?"

Damon looked at the others seeing they were just as confused as him. "Great Meredith, you slapped her senseless and now she is speaking mumbo jumbo"

"Wait Damon, Repeat that" Sage looked at Bonnie in thought. Smirking back up at him she obliged.

"I tell no lies, I only play tricks. I like to play and hide but only you can go seek. That for which you have lost I have hidden but no clues shall I give; what am I?"

"Sage, do you know what she is saying?" Elena couldn't grasp the tail.

"I have heard that before, back home in the Dark Dimension. That is not Bonnie" He spoke looking back up towards Meredith then back at Bonnie "You are something else"

"What!" Four voices asked in unison while a laugh broke out between them.

"Clever Sage, but can you go a step further?" Her voice began to distort deeper until it sounded nothing like Bonnie.

"Where is Bonnie?" Elena leaned down until she was face to face with the fake Bonnie.

"No clues will be given!" It snapped unhappy that Elena wasn't even trying to understand the rules.

"Trickster!," Damon looked from the others to Bonnie "You're a Trickster, you have been tricking us from the start"

"Ha I knew it, well I didn't know it, know it but I knew something was up" Meredith spun to Elena next to her and the two women high fived each other.

As though to prove to Damon that he is right the Trickster stood from her chair, ropes falling at her feet having been untied this whole time. Changing back to her original form she began clapping her hands. Wearing a deep purple dress with long wavy violet hair and deep eyes to match; if it wasn't for the horns and long pointed nails Damon would have said she was attractive.

"The correct term is Devil Trickster or Trickster Devil, each is correct." The Trickster gave a small bow to the m.

"What are doing here and why have you been pretending to be Bonnie?" Stefan asked trying to keep Elena calm holding her back with a hand over her mouth.

"Never mind that; where is the real Bonnie?" Damon stepped closer to the Trickster.

"I can not answer any of your questions but you can find the answers you seek. The rules of the game are simple but be warned" The Trickster held up a finger "they cannot be broken nor are they to be taken lightly." She walked in-between them passing each of them slowly "What has been done cannot be undone by anything else but a simple act."

The Trickster walked behind Damon. Leaning in closer she whispered into his ear.

"You are the key to the said act" Before he could turn she disappeared from behind in a cloud of purple smoke.

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	4. Chapter 4

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"Sage will you please explain to these two lovely ladies' what a Trickster is again?" Damon tried to keep his tone gentle, but where they only hearing what they wanted to hear?

For the past hour they had grouped inside the large Dining Room trying to figure out what to do next. The Trickster Devil had really thrown a spanner in the mix and quite frankly nobody could figure out where to go from here. The same ideas and suggestions where being repeated time and time again; It was beginning to grate on Damon's nerves.

"We heard what Sage said Damon" Elena responded by glaring at him past Stefan.

"Well then you would of heard the part that stated we cannot bargain with them" Taking his glass in hand he drank what was left in the bottom before refilling it with one of the many bottles on the table that he had provided. Running out was not an option.

"Damon is right Elena; Trickster's are finicky creatures to deal with. No amount of Gold in the land or Gems and Jewels that you make will matter, once they have made a play against someone, they will not undo it." Sage stood and walked to the window before continuing "There rules as they call them to you or I, are Laws to them; unbreakable laws. The laws are bound my magic, only a single act can beat a Trickster. But even then they have not lost because it is them that has wound that said act as the key"

"But what do they achieve by doing this in the first place?" Meredith watched her other half stand by the window, realising in this moment just how knowledgeable of all the different creatures he was. She had so much to learn from him.

"We become stronger the older we get and with the blood we drink, their strength is in their tricks and the size of their horns." Sage turned to the others "We have to abide by their rules on this one; No amount of force will change anything."

Silence ascended upon the group. Damon realised that Red still hadn't joined them and he hadn't seen her since he walked away from her yesterday. Reaching out he sensed her in the main living area curled in front of the fire.

Stefan was the first to break the silence.

"Ok, so let's say we play by the rules, what do we know?" Stefan reached across and placed his hand against Elena's thigh. She looked at him with a smile before replying.

"Well we know Bonnie is the target of the Trickster. What we don't know is where she is, I mean who knows how long that Trickster Bitch has been playing as Bonnie." Elena looked across at Meredith for confirmation.

"It has to be since your wedding Elena or just before. That's when she started being un-Bonnie-like. Bonnie could be anywhere"

"I don't think so. Remember what the Trickster said; if Bonnie is what we have lost then she has hidden her and we have to go seek." Damon leaned back into his chair thinking "But she wouldn't have hidden her in plain sight nor make it too difficult to be found."

Sage came back standing behind Meredith's chair "You speak sense old friend, so what changed when Bonnie first left?"

"No not what's changed, what is new?" Stefan rushed to say.

"Brother you may be right" All three men looked towards Elena and Meredith awaiting them to tell them the vital answer they require. Both rolled their eyes at their lack of attention.

"Me and Stefan got married" Elena provided for them.

"No Elena that's a change not something new. Matt getting a wife and having a daughter is new." Meredith corrected.

"Something else" Damon snapped unsure why.

"But Damon what if..." Stefan began to say but was interrupted.

"Bonnie is neither Mutt's wife in a different body nor his daughter in a different body, something else" He refused to accept that that was where the Trickster had hidden Bonnie. There was just something wrong with that possibility that it made Damon's skin crawl; Bonnie was not with Mutt.

Getting up from his seat Damon made his way towards the main Living area leaving the others to discuss possible ideas. Stopping at the door he looked towards Red and watched her for a while. She wasn't asleep and her breathing picked up slightly; she knew he was there. Yet she never lifted her head to him or acknowledged his presence.

He made his way over to her and sat in front of her but she still didn't look at him. Taking a deep breath he leaned down and whispered against her ear.

"I'm Sorry Red. You scared the living shit out of me" Damon looked at her but she looked away. He threw his arms in the air. "What to do you want me to do?"

Red tried to stand to move away from him but pained lanced up her hind leg causing her to crumple and whine out loud. Damon eyes widened with concern and moved towards her forgetting his apology in an instant. Red was licking her leg with urgency.

"Hey hey, let me see" Damon spoke softly above a whisper. As he went to touch her, she growled showing her teeth. "Red I'm not going to hurt you, let me see." She lifted her head to look at him, watching him warily as he slowly reached for her once more. As gently as he could he brushed her fur to the side causing her to whimper and jolt her leg.

"Shhh I know I know" He whispered as he managed to move enough fur to see what her problem was. "Oh Red" Her leg was slashed down to the bone five inches across; not bleeding due to the infection that was taking hold of her. Damon could only stare at the horror that was her leg before closing his eyes and shaking his head. If he hadn't have ignored her yesterday and took a closer look at her leg he could have prevented the infection from spreading and saved her so much pain.

"_Sage I need your assistance"_ Within seconds he was there.

"What is it old friend?" He asked walking closer to Damon.

"Have you ever given your blood to heal an animal?" Damon glanced up at him from his position on the floor to Sage who was eyeing Red's leg with horror.

"No, the risk of side effects is too great."

"Then what the Fuck am I suppose to do?" He couldn't help but raise his voice as panic began setting in. If he didn't help her soon the infection will spread into her blood and kill her. A hand came to rest on his shoulder.

"Easy Damon, we will help her. Sage is right; your blood could do more damage than good." Stefan spoke softly as though talking to a child. Kneeling next to him without taking his hand from his shoulder he continued "Do you have any medical kits?"

Damon nodded "Red I'm going to pick you up ok, I'll be as gentle as I can." After a pause he added "If I hurt you, you have my permission to nip me" Seeing her relax slightly he went to pick her up whispering in her ear "That's my girl"

As gentle as he could he placed his arms beneath her and lifted her to his chest taking extra care around her leg. "Remember a nip not a bite" Whining slightly she rested her head on his arm. Ignoring the shocked looks from the others he made his way into the kitchen.

Elena whipped into the kitchen getting a fresh clean towel and laying it onto the centre counter before Damon laid Red on top. Meredith found his medical kit and handed it to Sage.

"Meredith, Elena; I'm going to need you to keep fresh clean towels and cloths coming, this is going to be messy. Stefan I'm going to need you to keep the equipment sanitised and Damon..." Sage stopped while he looked at Damon gently stroking Reds face with his knuckles "Keep doing what you're doing"

An hour later Damon looked up from Red to see his kitchen in a mess; dirty yellow stained towels where thrown in a bundle in the corner, blood stained cloths across the counter and red fur coated the floor. Sage had shaved her leg to get to the wound. Taking a closer look the wound was open and raw but no longer covered in yellow puss or green welts. It was red and pink; normal. Meredith went to hand Sage another clean cloth but he declined.

"We are ready to close the wound" He looked up at Stefan who handed him a needle with thread that he had had burning above a flame for the past ten minutes.

Taking his attention back to Red he began once again talking with her to distract her from what Sage was doing. A small whine escaped her throat; they hadn't been able to find anything to numb her from the pain so they had to do it quickly knowing she could feel everything.

"Shh I know Red, he's nearly done." He brushed his knuckles across her face. He couldn't believe how incredibly still she had laid. Every now and then a shimmer of pain would cause her to shake but she lay as still as she could.

"Done" Damon looked up at Sage's announcement to see Reds leg covered with a bandage dressing. Red twisted to see her leg sniffing at the bandage. Sage gently stroked her fur and received a lick in response, "You are most welcome little one"

Noticing she was trying to stand Damon whipped forward and took her in his arms "No walking for you until tomorrow." He once again carried her through the house, kicking a large cushion from the sofa to the floor in front of the fire before gently placing her down. Elena and Meredith followed behind with a bowl of water and a large plate full of chopped meat. Elena held the bowl of water for Red while she drank her fill. Meredith then plopped on the floor in front of her and gently began to feed her piece by piece.

Damon plopped on to his chair watching with amusement as Red was waited on. To say the wolf was usually stubborn and liked to do things on her own she was sure enjoying the attention. Damon took a glass of Bourbon from his brother after he and Sage joined them and watched Meredith feed a clearly hungry Red.

"We still have the Devil Trickster and Bonnie to deal with"

Damon closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose "Tomorrow Stefan. We can deal with that tomorrow. Wherever Bonnie is, one more night isn't going to make much more of a difference."

Red whipped her head around to Damon with a low growl before giving Meredith her attention once again. Damon's eyebrows rose as he looked towards Stefan and then Sage. Both offering only a shoulder shrugs as help; great.

"Perhaps it was your lack of care towards Bonnie and the situation she is in" Elena clipped at him from beside Meredith. Looking up at him with her crystal blue eyes staring daggers was followed by Meredith's accusing grey ones; followed by Red's soft brown ones.

"I didn't mean it like I didn't care, I was just saying..." Damon stopped talking, looking from three pairs of accusing eyes to Sage and Stefan and then back to three accusing eyes again.

Damon sat as still as a statue staring. "Damon what..." He lifted a finger to quite his brother. He was on the edge of something but he didn't know what. He was gripping something but what?

Crystal Blue, Shimmering Grey and Chocolate Brown. Crystal Blue, Shimmering Grey and Chocolate Brown. Over and over it repeated in his head but why?

A scene played across his mind like a play. Three women dressed as spectacularly as possible. They were dancing at a ball, each holding a part of their dress with one hand while grasping their dancing partners shoulder with the other; twirling around each other and laughing as they pass.

The first lady to pass him smiled a heavenly smile while looking at her partner, what caught his attention was the eyes. Crystal Blue eyes, she was Elena dancing with Stefan. The next lady passed while whispering seductively in her partners ear, as she pulled her head back Shimmering Grey eyes glanced in his direction. Meredith looked back to Sage and continued her whispering. The next lady approached giggling with joy, while her partner spun her around and around.

Suddenly Bonnie stopped dancing to look at him, releasing her hold on her dance partner she elegantly bowed before making her way towards him with little steps. Once she reached him glistening Chocolate Brown eyes looked up at him as a single tear slipped down her cheek. Without a word she reached down and pulled her dress above her thigh showing him her right leg. A five inch scar ran down across her thigh. With a small bow she made her way back to her partner. It was him; taking her in his arms he continued their dance as though they were never interrupted.

Shaking his head Damon bought himself back to the now. What the hell was that? Stefan was kneeling in front of him with his eyes drawn down frowning with Sage stood behind him.

Damon heard his brother question him but it didn't register. He leaned forward and placed his hand on Stefan's shoulder and gently pushed him to the side un-blocking his view to what he needed to see. Blue, Grey and Brown.

His glass tumbled to the floor causing Stefan to jump up and avoid the Bourbon from splashing him. His eyes bore into hers. Her head tilled in reply; questioning. He stood with a laugh. Questions where being hailed at him from all angles; he stopped laughing and replaced it with a smirk. Looking at each of their confused faces he knelt in front of Red; cupping her jaw and gently raised it.

"Bonnie?" He watched as her eyes widened with understanding before releasing an enormous loud howl at him. "You're still Red to me" He whispered before standing.

He scowled at Stefan "You could have at least tried to catch that" He picked up his glass from where it landed and went to fetch a refill; leaving the others to catch up.

Refilling his glass he finally heard Elena squeal; now they get it. Taking a sip he went deep in thought. Why Bonnie? With a shrug he dismissed that question, Could have been simply coincidence. Somehow he was the key to helping Bonnie, but how? What act would involve him to break the spell? Does Bonnie know; he shook his head, she couldn't tell him even if she did. Damon decided not to tell the others what the Trickster told him.

With a smile on his lips he took another drink; at least she's not with Mutt.

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